Charlie Absolom

Charles Alfred Absolom (7 June 1846 – 30 July 1889) played cricket for Cambridge University, Kent and England in the period from 1866 to 1879.

Absolom was born at Blackheath, Kent, the son of Edward Absolom. He was educated at a school in Calne in Wiltshire, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was awarded cricket and athletics Blues at Cambridge University.^[1] He was nicknamed "Cambridge Navvy", presumably because of his physique.^[2] In 18 matches for the university he took over 100 wickets, and played in the Varsity Match in 1866, 1867, 1868 and 1869. He took 27 wickets in the four matches and was on the winning Cambridge side in 1868 and 1869. He played several games for Gentlemen vs Players and in 1868 started playing for Kent.^[3] After Cambridge he enrolled at Inner Temple but did not complete his law studies.

As an amateur cricketer, Absolom toured Australia with Lord Harris's team in 1878/9 and played in the only Test of that tour. Although selected as a bowler, his main performance was with the bat. After Australia's "demon bowler" Fred Spofforth had taken a hat-trick which helped reduce the English team to 26 for 7, Absolom came in and made 52. However, he was not one of the seven Englishmen to bowl in the Australian innings. Australia went on to win the game by 10 wickets.^[4]

Absolom completed his career with Kent in the summer of 1879 after taking 87 wickets in 57 matches.

Absolom enjoyed travel, particularly in the Americas, and he became a ship's purser. He died aged 43 when he was accidentally buried by a misplaced load of sugar whilst loading at Port of Spain in Trinidad.^[5]

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